American Institute for Conservation
Public records raise at least one point you should look into before giving.
What it says it does
A NATIONAL MEMBERSHIP ORGANIZATION IN THE UNITED STATES DEDICATED TO THE PRESERVATION OF CULTURAL MATERIAL, THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE FOR CONSERVATION OF HISTORIC AND ARTISTIC WORKS PLAYS A CRUCIAL ROLE IN ESTABLISHING AND UPHOLDING PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS, PROMOTING RESEARCH AND PUBLICATIONS, PROVIDING EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES, AND FOSTERING THE EXCHANGE OF KNOWLEDGE AMONG CONSERVATORS, ALLIED PROFESSIONALS, AND THE PUBLIC.
- Income
- $1.6 million
- Spending
- $1.5 million
- Employees
- 14
- Volunteers
- 9
- Highest pay
- $156,298, executive director
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. How we rate
Financial health
We do not score finances when yearly spending is very small or the return has too little detail. The ratios stop meaning much at that size.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. How we rate
Governance
This return does not answer enough of the governance questions to score.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. How we rate
Impact evidence
Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.
Programs described in its return (4)
- ANNUAL MEETING - THE AIC ANNUAL MEETING IS A CONFERENCE THAT INCLUDES FORMAL PRESENTATIONS, SYMPOSIA, DEMONSTRATIONS, AND INFORMAL CONVERSATIONS ON A VARIETY OF CONSERVATION TOPICS, INVITING DISCUSSION OF PHILOSOPHICAL AND ETHICAL ISSUES, NEW TECHNIQUES AND MATERIALS, AND RECENT DISCOVERIES THAT HAVE GROWN OUT OF CONSERVATION RESEARCH. THE MEETING FORMAT ENCOMPASSES LECTURES, EXHIBITS OF CONSERVATION-RELATED PRODUCTS AND SERVICES, WORKSHOPS, AND TOURS. IN 2025, THE AIC ANNUAL MEETING WAS OFFERED AS AN IN-PERSON EVENT IN MINNEAPOLIS WITH LIVESTREAMED MEETING COMPONENTS.
- PUBLICATIONS - AIC PROVIDES GENERAL AND TECHNICAL INFORMATION ON CONSERVATION ISSUES, TREATMENTS, RESEARCH, AND ORGANIZATIONAL MATTERS THROUGH THE PUBLICATION AND DISTRIBUTION OF A SCHOLARLY JOURNAL, NEWSLETTER, ONLINE DIRECTORY, AND OTHER PUBLICATIONS. AIC ALSO DISSEMINATES INFORMATION ABOUT AIC AND THE FIELD OF CONSERVATION ON ITS WEBSITE, IN WIKIS, IN ONLINE COMMUNITIES, AND ON ITS BLOG AND SOCIAL MEDIA SITES. AIC PERIODICALLY PARTNERS WITH MEMBERS OR ALLIED ORGANIZATIONS TO PUBLISH BOOKS ON TOPICS OF INTEREST TO THE FIELDS OF CONSERVATION AND PRESERVATION.
- SPECIALTY GROUPS - CONSERVATORS SPECIALIZE IN A BROAD RANGE OF MATERIALS, AS REFLECTED IN THE ACTIVITIES OF AIC SPECIALTY GROUPS, TO WHICH NEARLY ALL MEMBERS BELONG. ADDITIONALLY, ABOUT HALF OF AIC'S MEMBERSHIP HAVE IDENTIFIED THEMSELVES AS CONSERVATORS WHO WORK PRIVATELY. A SPECIALTY GROUP SUPPORTING THE NEEDS OF PRIVATE PRACTITIONERS CONTRIBUTES TO THE ORGANIZATION. THE TEN SPECIALTY GROUP DESIGNATIONS CURRENTLY MAINTAINED BY AIC ARE: ARCHITECTURE, BOOK & PAPER, CONSERVATORS IN PRIVATE PRACTICE, ELECTRONIC MEDIA, OBJECTS, PAINTINGS, PHOTOGRAPHIC MATERIALS, RESEARCH & TECHNICAL STUDIES, TEXTILES, AND WOODEN ARTIFACTS. THE SPECIALTY GROUPS SERVE THE FIELD BY FACILITATING COMMUNICATIONS AMONG MEMBERS THROUGH ONLINE COMMUNITIES AND PAGES ON THE AIC WEBSITE, PROVIDING A FORUM FOR CURRENT INFORMATION AT THE ANNUAL MEETING, PUBLISHING PAPERS GIVEN AT THE ANNUAL MEETING, AND OCCASIONALLY PUBLISHING BOOKS ON TOPICS RELATING TO THEIR AREA OF SPECIALTY.
- COMMITTEES AND OTHER PROGRAMS:COMMITTEES:AIC MAINTAINS FOUR STANDING COMMITTEES: 1.) THE MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE REVIEWS AND APPROVES APPLICANTS FOR THE PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATE AND FELLOW CLASSES OF MEMBERSHIP AND PROMOTES AIC MEMBERSHIP IN GENERAL. 2.) THE ETHICS AND STANDARDS COMMITTEE REVIEWS INSTANCES OF UNETHICAL OR QUESTIONABLE CONDUCT IN RELATION TO THE AIC CODE OF ETHICS, GUIDELINES FOR PRACTICE, AND THE COMMENTARIES TO THE GUIDELINES FOR PRACTICE. THESE DOCUMENTS SET FORTH THE PRINCIPLES THAT GUIDE CONSERVATION PROFESSIONALS AND OTHERS WHO ARE INVOLVED IN THE CARE OF CULTURAL PROPERTY. 3.) THE APPEALS COMMITTEE HEARS APPEALS OF ALL ACTIONS OF THE AIC BOARD OF DIRECTORS TAKEN IN RESPONSE TO THE EVIDENCE PROVIDED BY THE ETHICS AND STANDARDS COMMITTEE; THIS COMMITTEE IS AD HOC, POPULATED AS NEEDED BY THE BOARD. 4.) THE NOMINATING COMMITTEE PRESENTS A SLATE OF CANDIDATES FOR THE ANNUAL ELECTION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS OF THE AIC.AIC HAS ADDITIONAL BOARD-APPROVED COMMITTEES THAT ASSIST IN THE ONGOING ACTIVITIES OF THE ORGANIZATION AND THESE INCLUDE: AUDIT, AWARDS, BYLAWS, COMMUNICATIONS, EDUCATION & TRAINING, EMERGENCY, EQUITY & INCLUSION, FINANCIAL ADVISORY, PROGRAM (ANNUAL MEETING PROGRAMMING), AND SUSTAINABILITY.TASK FORCES AND WORKING GROUPS:THE AIC BOARD OF DIRECTORS PERIODICALLY CREATES A TASK FORCE OR WORKING GROUP TO RESEARCH AND MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE BOARD REGARDING PARTICULAR ISSUES. TASK FORCES AND WORKING GROUPS ARE GIVEN CHARGES AND A TIMEFRAME IN WHICH TO COMPLETE THEIR ACTIVITIES AND RECOMMENDATIONS. THE MATERIALS SELECTION & SPECIFICATION WORKING GROUP, IMAGING WORKING GROUP, AND ETHICS CORE DOCUMENTS REVIEW TASK FORCE WERE ACTIVE IN 2025.NETWORKS:NETWORKS ADDRESS TOPICS THAT ARE OF INTEREST ACROSS SPECIALTIES AND ARE DESIGNED TO AUGMENT THE WORK OF SPECIALTY GROUPS. ANY AIC MEMBER CAN BE A MEMBER OF A NETWORK. A SMALL ADDITIONAL FEE MAY BE CHARGED FOR NETWORK MEMBERSHIP. ACTIVE NETWORKS INCLUDE PREVENTIVE CARE NETWORK (FORMERLY COLLECTION CARE NETWORK), EMERGING CONSERVATION PROFESSIONALS NETWORK, HEALTH & SAFETY NETWORK, CONTEMPORARY ART CONSERVATION NETWORK, AND THE ARCHAEOLOGICAL HERITAGE NETWORK.DISCUSSION GROUPS:SOME OF OUR MEMBERS AND GROUPS CREATE SUBGROUPS OR TOPICAL GROUPS TO DISCUSS PARTICULAR ISSUES AND TECHNIQUES ON A SMALLER SCALE THAN A FULL MATERIALS-BASED GROUP OR MEMBER-WIDE NETWORK. THE BOOK AND PAPER GROUP'S ART ON PAPER DISCUSSION GROUP IS A FORUM AT THE AIC ANNUAL MEETING FOR EXCHANGING FOCUSED EXPERIENCES AND IDEAS ON ART ON PAPER CONSERVATION; THE BOOK AND PAPER GROUP'S LIBRARY AND ARCHIVES CONSERVATION DISCUSSION GROUP (LACDG) IS A FORUM AT THE AIC ANNUAL MEETING FOR EXCHANGING FOCUSED EXPERIENCES AND IDEAS ON LIBRARY COLLECTIONS AND ARCHIVES CONSERVATION. IN 2024, THE MICROFADING TESTER INTERNATIONAL DISCUSSION GROUP (MFT-IDG), SPONSORED BY AIC'S PREVENTIVE CARE NETWORK, WAS FORMED TO ADVANCE MFT PRACTICE AND SUPPORT THE GLOBAL MFT USER COMMUNITY. THE LASER DISCUSSION GROUP WAS APPROVED IN 2025 TO FOCUS ON ADVANCING THE USE OF LASER TECHNOLOGIES IN ART AND HERITAGE CONSERVATION; THEY CO-HOST PROGRAMMING AND MAINTAIN AN ONLINE COMMUNITY.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.
Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(6) business league.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.
Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.
Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Are donations tax-deductible? Caution.
The IRS master file records contributions to this 501(c)(6) business league as not deductible.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2025.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since September 1973.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.
Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.
Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 21, 2026.
Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.